Long Distance
by pandorabox82
Summary: After trying to put on a good face at Stan's promotion party, Mary realizes maybe she's not quite ready to be friendless. Knowing she can't call Marshall, she turns to the one person out there that might still care, Eleanor.
1. Chapter 1

She made the first call the day after Stan's party. She didn't know who else to call, she had been truthful when she told Marshall that he was her only friend. In the end, she had broken down and called her, knowing that despite how much they rubbed each other the wrong way, she would have good advice for her. She always had, from the first time she had shoved aspirin and water at her.

"Hello, you've reached Eleanor's voicemail. I'm not available at the moment, so just leave me a message and I'll get back to you soon."

That sounded too perky for Mary, even though she knew it was yards better than her own message. "Hey, this is Mare. Um, I need someone to talk to, and you were the first person that popped into my head. Crazy, huh? Well, anyway, my number is 555-6821. Hope to hear from you soon!"

The forced cheerfulness grated at her. She should have been able to say what she wanted, but even here, separated from someone she had barely tolerated, she was lying to herself and everyone around her. Sighing, she threw the phone down on the bed next to her and tried to calm down her racing heart.

"Why did you reach out to her, of all people, Mary Shannon? You really are a fucking fool," she muttered, turning on her side and burying her face in her pillow. Long minutes passed and then her phone was ringing. Blindly, she reached out for it and brought it to her ear. "Yeah?"

"Mary? Is everything okay?"

The words were cautious, wary, and she didn't blame Eleanor for wondering why she had reached out. "I don't know." It was a truthful answer, and yet she heard the woman sigh on the other end of the phone. "What?"

"There she is," Eleanor replied drolly. "I was wondering how long it would take before the prickly part of your personality showed up. Look, it's my lunch hour right now. Is there something I can do for you, or can I get back to eating?"

"Marshall's getting married," she said in a rush, knowing she wouldn't be able to say it again, even if asked.

"Oh." The small sound disconcerted her and she shivered before burrowing further into her mattress. "Oh, Mary, I'm so sorry. I always thought you were in love with each other. What happened?"

The one thing Mary had not expected was the tender concern quite evident in the woman's voice. It was enough to bring the tears she hadn't let fall previously come to the forefront, even as she loathed herself for being a sentimental sap. "Abigail happened. She gets him, gets his stupid references, everything. And I can't be friends with him, since we're too close of friends. She's jealous of that. I'm so alone."

"You're not alone, Mary. You have your family."

"And a daughter. Did you know that? My ex-husband knocked me up, almost lost her when she decided to make a dramatic entrance into the world. She's a lot like my sister, unfortunately."

Eleanor laughed a little. "Good. That will keep you on your toes. Is that why you called, though? Because you feel like you have no one there to talk to?"

"Maybe. Would it upset you if that were the truth?"

"Surprisingly, no. Now, I want you to go hug your daughter close, tell her you love her and try to find someone there who can keep you balanced. I pity the person taking over Stan's position when you do not have a Marshall to keep you in line."

"Whatever," Mary said, rolling her eyes.

"I heard that eye roll, Mare." It was the first time she had ever heard her nickname come from Eleanor's mouth, and she smiled softly. "And I know I am going to regret this, but whenever you need a sounding board, a sane, rational, person to talk to, feel free to call me. I don't mind."

She paused a moment before speaking once more. "I don't want to impose."

"It wouldn't be an imposition. I promise." There was something so earnest, so sweet about her words and Mary felt a great weight lift from her heart, something that she had never known she was carrying around. "And let me know about your daughter…"

"Norah," she interrupted, a gentle smile spreading across her lips.

"Let me know how Norah is doing. And Stan."

A wistful note crept into her voice, and Mary felt a barb of guilt strike her heart. "Stan, well, he's going to D.C. with his girlfriend. He didn't call and let you know?"

The sharp breath that Eleanor drew in was enough to tell Mary that he had not bothered to inform the woman who he had taken to his bed that he had a new girlfriend, that he was going to be living in her own backyard in a few weeks. "Oh."

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, hating to apologize for something she wasn't even responsible for, yet for some strange reason wanting to comfort Eleanor. "I'm sorry. I thought he would have told you. Maybe I am just a hateful person."

Tears burnt her eyes and she flopped onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "Don't cry, Mare. If Marshall loved you, even a tiny little bit, there must be something loving and lovely about you. Never forget that."

Mary went to respond when her bedroom door opened. Sitting up a little, she saw her sister standing there, Norah in her arms. "Hey, Squish, just give me one second." Brandi nodded and stepped back a little. "I have to go Eleanor. Norah's hungry. Thanks for listening to me."

"No problem, Mary. Have a wonderful day."

Eleanor hung up before she could reply in kind and Mary set aside her phone, holding out her arms for her daughter. "Was she crying?"

"No, she woke up with a giggle. Look, I'm going out with Peter in a few, so don't expect me back any time soon."

Mary had known it was almost too good to last. There was no way that Brandi could handle pregnancy, handle the responsibility of motherhood. "All right, Squish. Love you."

"I love you, too, Mare." She held her daughter close to her chest as Brandi backed out of the room.

"Well, Norah, looks like it may just be you and me from now on. Stan's moving on and up, Marshall is marrying Abigail, and Brandi's going to start running once more. At least you can't leave me yet."

It was one thing to be maudlin, another to give in to her tears, and Mary swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to desperately regain control of the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm her. Her precious daughter stared up at her, a smile on her face, and she nodded. Pulling up her shirt, she let her child suckle.

"I really want to call Eleanor back right now, Bug. I didn't realize I was that desperate for a kind word," she whispered as she caressed her daughter's head. "Maybe she'll even be a friend to us. Wouldn't that just be the oddest fucking thing in this world?" Leaning down, she kissed her child's head, wanting, wishing, that she had her best friend to talk to.


	2. Chapter 2

She made it a week without calling Eleanor again. And then, she walked in on Kenny fucking another woman, and she had turned and walked out, her heart and mind immediately rejecting him from her life.

Mary's first instinct had been to call Marshall. He had always given her the best advice when it came to the men in her life. But she hesitated, remembering their conversation, about how she had to let him go, how he couldn't come running to her at every beck and call. So, she'd quickly hit Eleanor's number instead, hoping that she would pick up.

"Mary." The way she shaped her name set her heart at ease and she flopped down on her couch, looking at Norah sleeping in her playpen. "What can I do for you?"

"Tell me a happy story."

A soft sigh broke from her lips. "Who hurt you now?"

"Kenny."

"Ah, at least it wasn't Marshall this time. All right, a happy story." There was a short pause and then she was speaking once more. "John and I had been married for a year and he surprised me by recreating our honeymoon. We spent a blissful week in Cabo, and I got just as sunburned as I did the first time around."

"What, did you forget the sunscreen?" she asked somewhat acerbically and was surprised to hear Eleanor laugh a little.

"As a matter of fact, I did. When you're cooped up inside all day, pushing paper and making connections, things like that tend to escape your thought process. And my John was so sweet, rubbing aloe onto my skin every night until the burn went away. I loved the feel of his hands on me, loving me."

Mary could tell that the woman was crying at the memory of her husband, and for some stupid reason, she wished she could be there with Eleanor, so that she could perhaps smile at her, or think of something witty to say. Instead, it was all honest, all the time, with her. "I don't think I'll ever find someone to love."

"Don't say that, Mary. You have Norah, and your love for her will be infinite and amazing. At least you have that most precious gift."

There was something so wistful about the way Eleanor said those words that Mary had to wonder why she and John had never had children. "Why didn't you have a kid of your own?"

"We tried."

From the clipped tone, Mary knew enough not to press farther, and she sighed a little, resting her head against the headrest in her car. "Why do I have such awful luck with men?"

"I have no idea, Mare."

She sighed and started her car up, pulling out into traffic. "That doesn't help me any, Ellie. I call you for advice, not to hear you say that you don't know what's wrong with me."

The older woman let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Honey, if I began to tell you all the things that are wrong with you, you'd hate me for life."

Those words strangely upset Mary and she frowned at the phone. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. You're so impulsive, you never pull any punches, you think you're always right. You haven't learned to compromise. Everything to you is black and white, no shades of grey, and some of us cannot live in that world. Especially when someone is just as bullheaded."

"Like you?"

"Exactly. I missed you, that first week back in D.C. There wasn't anyone here who would push me like you did. They were all afraid of me."

Mary snorted a little. "Afraid of a little wisp of a thing like you? I really did teach you well."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that. So, were things getting serious between you and this Kenny?" The question was soft and probing, like Eleanor wanted to know the details, but didn't want to pry too much.

"No, we were just fuck buddies, I guess. Jesus, I don't know why it bothered me so much to see him screwing another woman. I mean, it's not like I told him we were going to be exclusive or anything. Even if I didn't sleep with anyone else in that time."

"Mare, your priorities have shifted since you had Norah. Unconsciously, you're seeking something a little more permanent than just a random sexual encounter when the itch rises up in you. You want some stability for your daughter."

Eleanor's words made sense in some small part of her brain and Mary nodded. "Could, could you take some time off and come here for a visit? I really need a friend right now."

"What about Marshall?"

"He…doesn't want me to rely on him so much. Abigail comes first, as she should. She is his fiancé, after all. And it's not like I can talk to Jinx or Brandi about this mess I've made for myself. They'd just tell me about how I should go back to Raph. I should have listened better when they told us how to make friends in kindergarten," she muttered with a watery laugh.

"Don't do that to yourself, Mare. You have to be true to yourself, first and foremost. The people really worth your friendship will work past the thorns you put up to keep the weaklings at bay." A soft sigh escaped her lips and Mary wondered what she was thinking. "Do you really want me to come visit you?"

"Yes."

"All right, I'll see what I can do. Try and hang in there, kiddo, okay?"

The nickname was welcome to her ears and she nodded a little. "All right. Talk to you soon?"

"Yes."

They hung up and she stared at her still sleeping daughter. Norah really was the most precious thing in her life right now, and she smiled sweetly. "My little bug," she whispered, sitting up and sighing.

Her phone rang and she picked it up, startled to see that it was Marshall calling. "Hey, Mare."

"What do you need, Marshall?" She hated how stilted and awkward her words sounded to her ears and she shook her head, hoping he wouldn't pick up on her mood.

"Delia needs you to head out with her while she checks in on one of her witnesses. I guess they're meeting at an LGBT rally, and she feels like she'll blend in more if she has a girlfriend and baby in tow."

"Delia? Blend in? That personality of hers is like a lighthouse."

"I know. But, will you humor her?"

Sighing deeply, she shook her head as she stood. "Fine. But you owe me big time, Marshall."

"This will be just one more line in the ledger." There was something about the way he said those words that made her heart ache, and she suddenly wished that Eleanor was here, that she could put him on speaker and she could decipher what he was trying to tell her without words. After all, she had worked with profilers before, she had to have picked up some of their tips. "Well, I think she's going to be over at your place in twenty minutes. Try to look the part of a happy couple."

"Whatever you say, Inspector Mann." Without waiting for further words from him, she hung up and shoved the phone in her purse. She didn't really want to wake Norah up, since naptime was one of the most precious gifts she gave her right now, but duty called. "Come here, Bug." Lifting her up in her arms, Mary held her close before scooping up the diaper bag and heading out onto the porch to wait for Delia. It was going to be a long ass afternoon.


End file.
